Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Dr. Marie Keith, Director – College & Career Readiness AUGUST 2010

What do the students in your life dream of becoming? What should they be doing today to reach those dreams?

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney

 Every student deserves the attention of a caring adult at school.  Every student needs a plan for life after high school.  Every student needs to know what to do right now, whether “right now” is 6 th grade or 10 th grade or senior year, to be ready to succeed after high school.

 CONNECTIONS is a college and career readiness program for students in grades 6-12 designed to supplement an existing advisory/advocacy or as a stand-alone advisory/advocacy.  The curriculum provides the structure needed to help students make clear, careful, and meaningful choices about life after school.  A wide variety of relevant topics help students to understand that what they are doing today impacts them tomorrow and throughout their academic career.  CONNECTIONS is differentiated by grade level, developmentally appropriate.  Concepts build on prior knowledge and reinforce connections from one grade level to the next.

 Encourages student engagement  Enhances student achievement  Involves families  Strengthens community  Builds a college/career-going culture

 Contains approximately minute college and career readiness lesson plans for each semester for each grade level.  Lessons are organized by units (9) and should be implemented in sequential order as lessons build on one another and correlate to District activities.  The lessons are developmental in nature and differentiated for each grade level.

 Orientation – provides an overview of CONNECTIONS, defines college/career talk, introduces the Portrait of the Cy-Fair Graduate, and begins the student thinking about life after high school with essential questions like, ◦ Where Am I? ◦ Where do I want to go?

 Embracing Your Future – introduces students to goal-setting. Students are asked to discuss and develop annual goals that focus on ◦ Academics ◦ Citizenship ◦ Career

 Ready, Set, Explore – allows students to explore their career interests and link their interests to college or postsecondary training.  Students begin to see that what they are doing now in school will impact that future choices.

 Your Tool Box – exposes students to 21 st Century Skills. Discussions and activities help them reflect on their personal qualities and focus on developing the skills needed to be successful in school and later in life.  Topics include 21 st skills, the ever-changing workforce, school and work skills.

 Life After High School – describes postsecondary options, including ◦ 2 and 4-year colleges/universities, trade or technical schools ◦ The Military ◦ Skilled employment

 Academic Life – focuses on the skills needed for academic preparation and course planning through middle and high school.  Students learn that the choices they make now impacts them tomorrow. Topics include ◦ Graduation requirements and plans ◦ Rigorous course work ◦ Academic goals ◦ Career goals and elective choices

 Money Matters – looks at the correlation between education/career choice and income potential and the impact of personal choice on one’s standard of living.  Additionally, students learn about funds for paying for college or other postsecondary opportunities.

 Real World Connections – focuses on developing personal skills needed for success in school or the work place.  Topics include ◦ Dressing for success ◦ Completing applications and interviewing ◦ Networking

 Moving On – focuses on what comes next – whether the student is moving to the next grade level or life beyond college.  Moving On gives students an opportunity to reflect on the year, lessons learned, and what they can expect in the next year.

 All units are posted on the intranet in “Inside.cfisd.”  Folders contain the teacher’s lesson guide and all resources needed to support the lesson, such as PowerPoint presentations, activities, Talking Points, teacher resources, and handouts. Videos are embedded within PowerPoint presentations.  All students will keep a portfolio for personal documents produced during the year.  Your building coordinator will assist with implementation.

 The focus should be on helping students make connections – ◦ Cultivate aspiration ◦ Foster awareness ◦ Demystify affordability ◦ Encourage achievement  And build a college/career-going culture on your campus and in your community!

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney

Campus Implementation